BACK TO THE JUNGLE

Go where the wild things are in Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand. Aarti Sheth Cooper picks the best safari lodges

- Aarti Sheth Cooper

Over the last two years, The Great Pause gave us a chance to reflect and appreciate the great outdoors more than ever. There is a sense that when we go back to nature now, we will be mindful of our impact, and grateful for what it holds.

Most national parks in India are now open after a long hiatus, and lodges are putting out sweet deals to bring you back. A few days in nature is the best way to beat cabin fever—but there’s a greater payoff. Your tourism rupees will help support local communities and wildlife conservation efforts. The only real problem you will face? Where to begin. For starters, thumb through these pages. It’s a jungle out there—so here’s a guide to camps and lodges that elevate the safari experience.

MADHYA PRADESH

You may have met the denizens of Madhya Pradesh even before you have been to Madhya Pradesh—the forests of this state are said to have inspired Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book. The fabled tiger passage starts in the south at Satpura and Pench Reserves and travels east and north through Kanha (where Kipling’s book is set), Bandhavgarh, Sanjay and Panna Reserves. Make no mistake— this is prime tiger territory. With nine national parks, six tiger reserves and 25 wildlife sanctuaries over more than 95,000sqkm of land, this is every wildlife lover's delight. The fact that there are so many excellent wildlife camps and lodges situated around these reserves is a bonus!

BAGH VILLAS